Is ‘The Conjuring 3’ Really Based On A True Story? The trailer for boasts that it is “based on the true case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren” and that it involves their investigation of a 1981 case about a man who “pled not guilty by reason of demonic possession.” So it’s only natural that when the film arrives in theaters this summer, some viewers may be wondering: Is The Conjuring 3 really on a true story? The first two Conjuring installments before it were both inspired by true events, and as it turns out, the upcoming third movie draws from real life as well.